A Very Mini Reunion (but an amazing one nonetheless)

Planning a high school reunion is a very challenging task, especially when some of you are on holidays and most others aren't. We had our last reunion in 2008 and turn out was very good. This year we tried to recreate that and planned a few weeks in advance on facebook. It seemed every other reply on the thread was someone saying they couldn't make it, the reunion looked like a failure even before it occurred.

Anyway, we planned to meet on April 6, in Arnhem. By the evening of April 5th, it seemed it was just gonna be me, Marjanne, Marlene and William at the reunion (a.k.a just another day in North East England...and William) the plan was to visit our old school (there were no classes, but I received word that teachers were having a meeting) and then drive up to Amsterdam and possibly meet up with Beerd.

Well, meet up at Arnhem Central Station we did, and drive to the AIS we did as well, only to be confronted by a locked gate, and what seemed to be a school building devoid of life. It seemed by intel* was incorrect, nobody was here, cars were parked in the parking lot, but no one was in the building. Desperate, we spent about 10 mins walking around the school looking for entry points, but every door was firmly locked (side note: the front gate is quite pointless as you can easily get to the school from the back...just sayin')

After hanging around and thinking of various (illegal) ways to enter the building, we decided to call it off and head up to Amsterdam. With Marlene driving, we got on the highway and headed to the capital.

With William in the car you can be sure the discussions were lively, crazy and sometimes absurd (William's trademark) but it was fun.

Arriving in Amsterdam, we found a parking lot and promptly found a toilet as I felt my bladder was at tipping point so to speak. It was the best urination experience I have ever had, unexplainable relief and lightness, it was bliss!

Anyway...we headed off to Dam Square to meet up with Beerd, who I hadn't seen in four years.

He arrived in a cloud of smoke, well not really a cloud...with a cigarette perched daintily in his right hand and and iPod earphone hanging from his left ear. After embraces, compliments and salutations we headed off to find PANCAKES!

Finding a spot next to the flower stalls (and blocked from the shining sun) we settled at the 'Old Dutch Pancake House' which billed itself as having the 'best pancakes in town', right next to it was another pancake house which also claimed to have 'the best pancakes in Amsterdam' clearly one had to be false, but we didn't have time to sample both menus and decide. We talked, laughed and ate our pancakes and then decided to head up to another cafe in Rembrandt square.

This time we were exposed to the full rays of the sun (and also exposed to noisy trumpet players and tone deaf guitar players) but it was a nice place, soaking up some sun and catching up.

Learn to sing before performing in public

Afterwards we headed back to Beerd's place and chilled for a while, drank some good tea and discussed whether or not Avatar was a good movie before we had to head off back home.

We crowned the day with a few pictures and were greeted with extensive posing and modeling by William.

It was a very good day!

Hopefully at the next reunion we would have a higher turn out. It's always good to see what former classmates are up to and to have discussions that cannot be had on facebook or msn. You can poke on facebook, but nothing beats a real hug! (I've copyrighted that phrase)

* intel was provided by my younger brother, Daniel

Here are some pics! (click for a larger rendition)

With Friends (and Family) like these

William came over last Friday, he left yesterday (Sunday) it was great to catch up with my big brother and have a long chat with him about life and the future.

On Saturday, Marlene offered to make us a meal (an offer we could not refuse of course)...the meal was quiche, and it looked as good as it tasted, it looked like one of those cookbook pictures, you know, the one that you can quite never get your own version to look like. It was stupendo!!!

Renate joined us a little later in the meal, she is also studying in Newcastle Uni, and we had planned to meet up, but somehow hadn't managed to get our schedules right. Anyway, William's visit prompted everyone to get right and meet at Marlene's.

We chatted for ours about or respective lives, what we had been up to in the years we hadn't seen each other, lot's of great tales of Oriental adventures....all I could offer was my exciting time writing my dissertation (thrilling!!!)

It's great to have these mini-AIS reunions and think back to what an amazing time we had in that grand old school.

We only managed to take one picture...and there it is. Enjoy!

Vinte

Yes, finally I have shed the prefix teen that has followed me for seven years. I have now officially moved on to a new category. I am now 20. It's not a big change, maybe a little more respect, actually, it doesn't make the slightest difference since most people think I'm in my mid-twenties anyway, someone has even gone as high as over thirty.
But yes, I am 20. No big celebrations like last year, partly due to bad timing (I was in Bradford over the weekend, celebrating someone else's birthday)
That's the problem William and I have always had, someone's birthday usually eclipses the other, growing up, it was usually mine overshadowing his, his being on the 20th, mine on the 21st, it was only logical to suspend the cake and chicken eating for a day to accommodate my graduation. So while he only had the birthday wishes and hugs, I got the whole nine yards- cake, chicken, jollof rice, presents, general festivities. Of course they were meant for both of us, but the celebrations falling on my birthday was of significance, if not to anyone else, it was for me a source of bragging, seeing that William had to wait 24 hours to actually 'celebrate' his birthday.
So, yesterday, he turned 22, and here I am, graduating to a modest 20 (there's no immodest age by the way)
My 'youth' if I can still use that word unsurprisingly comes as a surprise to many, and I guess that makes me happy- it means I'm unique in a way- my biological appearance and my age do not correspond- GREAT!

So Far

I have not been the best blogger this year, but I promise to change from now on. I'm in Bradford now, going to a dinner to celebrate William's (and my) birthday.
I'm just getting down to all the essays that need to be done this year, and of course the great dissertation that's got to be written.
So, I promise to blog a lot more fervently.

Super Sunday or The Benefit of Duality

We had a game on Sunday, against the University of Hull. Nigeria had a game on Sunday, against Ghana, finally, the Superbowl (akin to FA finals) was taking place that evening. 3 big events in one day.
My alliances were as follows:
As for our game against Hull, we had to win, it's my team, I play on it, and winning makes me feel better.

As for the Nigeria vs Ghana game, WE had to win, and when I say WE, I use it liberally, I have been blessed with having Nigerian and Ghanaian blood flowing through mmy arteries. So my allegiance was with both teams, I will cheer when Ghana scores, and I will also cheer when Nigeria scores, I like to call it 'National Selection'...I actually missed the game, because I was on a three hour trip from Hull to Sunderland, so William (Obubo) had to keep me updated.
I returned to hear that Ghana had been victorious, The Super Eagles had been blinded and felled by the Shining Black Star. I was pleased, I went over to a Nigerian friends house to gloat at the 'Mediocre Eagles' the supposed Number 1 team in Africa. She was horrified to find out I had Ghanaian blood! I couldn't have been much prouder.
Now all Ghana has to do is win the cup....or else, I'll have to start investigating any possible links to Ivory Coast.

The Superbowl was amazing...The New England Patriots vs The New York Giants...I supported the Giants..and occasionally the Patriots, but mostly the Giants, and the Giants won, so I had a good night sleep!

This week would be spent laughing at my Nigerian brethren, and getting in touch with my Ghanaian roots. Akwaaba!!!!

Class of 2006

Standing L-R Troy Mytinger, Lorenzo Rijk, Sarah 'Susu' Milly, Eline 'Blonde-E' Annink, Annique Krukkert, Christina Hofer, Mrs. Ensink (tutor)
Seated L-R Marjanne 'Boba' Bruin, Julian 'Julez' Obubo, Jonna 'Ted' van den Berg, William 'Billy-Bones' Obubo, Vanessa Keickenbeck, Amber 'Bambi' van der Graaf
Seated on the ground L-R Marlene 'Marly' Koslowsky, Beerd Kaan

Yeah, that's the IB2 Class of 2006. I guess our class was one of the most memorable classes ever to graduate from the AIS. We had so many social gatherings, it was always 'We' rather than 'I'. I miss those times. Tutorials were hell though, arguing over dates was our favourite pastime. We had fun times in Buren (pizza falling down, falling down over dirty water, falling down in rivers) It was sad when we all had to part ways and pursue 'further education' But we'll all meet up someday.